Kyoto Marubeni

The traditional craft of Nishijin-ori is a masterpiece woven with beautifully dyed threads, creating intricate patterns that Japan takes great pride in. 

This drawstring bag, upcycled from Nishijin-ori obi sashes, carries a heartfelt wish: to breathe new life into the elegant fabric and allow people to enjoy its beauty in their daily lives. 

Patterns traditionally woven into obi and kimono have long carried auspicious meanings and wishes for the wearer's happiness: 

- Chrysanthemum (Kiku): Represents nobility (as its shape resembles the sun). 

- Crane (Tsuru): Symbolizes marital harmony (as cranes are said to mate for life). 

- Tortoiseshell (Kikkō): Offers protection against evil (as the turtle’s hard shell symbolizes resilience). 

We hope you’ll find a favorite pattern that resonates with you, carrying timeless beauty and meaningful wishes into your everyday moments.

Kyoto Marubeni Co., Ltd. is a kimono manufacturing and sales company established in 1977, inheriting the kimono business, the founding trade of the Marubeni Corporation, from its Kyoto branch office. 

Since Marubeni's founding in 1858, Kyoto Marubeni has built a strong network with kimono production regions and artisans across Japan, supported by over 160 years of history and industry-leading design and planning capabilities. 

We offer a wide range of traditional and contemporary Japanese garments, including: 

- Artistically crafted, high-end traditional kimonos 

- Modern kimonos designed for contemporary lifestyles 

- Furisode (formal long-sleeved kimonos) reflecting the latest trends

- Hakama for graduation ceremonies 

- Kimonos for Shichi-Go-San (traditional milestone ceremonies for children)

- Yukata (casual summer kimonos)

With a deep respect for tradition and an eye for innovation, Kyoto Marubeni continues to share the beauty of Japanese kimono culture with the world. 

Nishijin-ori from Kyoto boasts a history of 550 years. During the Muromachi period, organized groups of weavers emerged, and demand for their textiles increased significantly. 

However, the Ōnin War (1467–1477), a conflict that divided Japan, devastated both the city of Kyoto and its textile industry. 

After the war, weavers who had been scattered across the country returned to Kyoto. They resumed their craft in the area where the Western Army had once set up camp during the conflict—an area that came to be known as "Nishijin" (Western Encampment). 

The deep determination and resilience of these returning weavers laid the foundation for what we now know as Nishijin-ori, a textile tradition that continues to thrive and embody their enduring spirit of revival.